Front-end suspension structure for self-propelled vehicles



C. E. MILLS.

FRONT END SUSPENSION STRUCTURE FOR SELF PROPELLED VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I6, 1919.

Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

f fw@ i f o 'CLAUD E, MELLS, 0F DES JGIONES, IGWA.,

FRONT-END SUSPENSION S'EJUCT'UR'E FR relatie,

Application filed July '16,

L7 1o all whom t may concer-a:

Be it known that CLeUnE. l'i/iriiiris, a citi- Y'/.en of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Des Moines, inthe county of Polk and State oriowa, `lave invented a certain new and i useful Front-End SuspensionStructure for Self-lropelled Vehicles, of which the ellovving is aspecification. l

. Ihe object of my invention is to provide a front endsuspensionstructnre of simple, durable; inexpensive ,and strongstructure, whereby thel front end of aselpropelied vehicle may besupported on an axle in such manner that the aXlevmay have 'free up anddown play at its ends, which may be necesu sary on accountofinequalities in the roa and whereby the frame of the machine may be atally times held level. I

W ith this and other objects in view my Iinvention consists in theconstruction, ar-` rangement and combination of the various parts of thedevice, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinaftermore Jfully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in whicl1 Figure l shows a top or plan viewpartly in section of a Suspension structure embodyingmy invention. i

Fig. 2 shows a detail,'sectional on the line 2 2 of iig. l.

Fig. 3 shows atransverse, sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig.l.

Fig'. 4: shows a` horizontal, sectional View taken on the line i-et ofFig. l, looking in iew taken the direction indicated by the arrows.

ln the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a formin which myinvention may be embodied, have used the reference numoral 10 toindicate generally 'the laterally spaced horizontal frame members or' a'tractor or other motor Vehicle.` rllhese frame inembers may be formedof lchannel toward each other. j

'lho frame members l0 are connected by a transverse frame member illlocated rearwardly of the 'forward ends or said frame members 10.`

Spaced forwardly with relation to the front end of the frame of themachine is the transverse axle 12, to the ends of which are pivoted thestub axles 13 which .are designed to supporting' steerable frontwheels.'

The Jr'rame members 10. are provided near their front ends withvertically elongated] bars opening A Sgoemlcatiolx of Letters Eatent.

snhnrnornmnn ventenne.

Patented Ang'. 39 92@ 1919. serial no. einem.

Un the outersurfaees of thefraine mein bers l0 on opposite sides or"each of the slots i4: are brackets l5 having ears 16.

livoted to each ear 16 is an upwardly entending link i?. The upper endoeaeh pair or' links 17 is connected by a short shait i8.,

hotatably supported on" each one end of a leaf spring l Fixed in theaxle l2 centrallycf the noa-V chine from side to side is a rearwardlyeX- tending' rod 20, having on its rear end adjacent to the transverseframe member 1i a ball or the like 2l, received in a 'casing 22 to forma ball and socket joint. l

@therforms of universal joints may be scribed is thepreferred forni.

bracket 23 which forms a journal for the rod .j and is held in position'by bolts 2a extending upwardly` on the-,opposite sides'o the spring,-19, and through' ajplate 25 resti g` on top of said spring.; Onthe bolts2e n ienuts 26. y l Fixed en the rod 20 near the rear end thereof is acollar 2T, Brace rods 28 are' secured by screw-bolts 29 or the like tothe opposite sides of the collar 27 and extend forwardly and outwardlyas shown in Fig. l.. dit their 'forward ends the brace rods 28 aresecured to the axle l2. The forward end oi the rod 20 may bescrew-threaded to receive a nut 3Q.

it will beljnoted that the weight of the forward end *of the frame vissupported en the spring l) through the medium of the link g i7. Weightis also imposed on the axle 12 through the rod 20 which is supported bythev spring; and on the Cross traine member 1L lt will be noted that ifthe axle 12 tilts up and down at either end; for moving the axle l2 outolil a horizontal transverse position, the rod @il will rotate in thesocket 22 and the bearingV or bracket 23, and the forward enduit/theframe will not .in any way be caused to var-y fromghorizontal position.

, 'llliere is jiu'ovided at the saine time avery strongly-andsimplebuspension structure.

Changes navy be made in the details of my structure wiltliout departing"from the essential principle oirny invention, and it is "1y yintentionto cover by my claims any mo i? Beneath the center-or" the spring 19 isa I lied forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which maybe reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a device of the class described; a frame; a front axle adjacentthereto, a rod secured to said front axle and extending longitudinallyof said frame, and connected with said frame by means of a universal.joint, a spring supported on said frame, said rod being operativelyconnected with said spring between said axle and said universal joint, acollar on said rod between said spring and said universal joint, and abrace rod extending from said collar to said axle on opposite sides ofsaid rod.

2. In a device of the class described; the combination of e frame withan axle; links on said frame; a spring supported on said liks; atransverse member on said frame; a rod connected 'with said transversemember by means of a universal joint; said rod beiner secured to saidaxle and being rotatably connected with said spring.

3. In a device oi the class described; the combination of a traine withan axle; links "n said frame; a spring;` supported on said links; at'zinsverseMmember on said frame; a rod connected with said transversemember by means of a universal joint; said rod being secured to Saidaxle and being rotatably connected withY said spring; and brace rodsconnecting said first rods near said universal lioint with said axle Aonopposite sides of said first rod.

CLAUD E. MILLS.

